Here`s a quick rundown of some key hockey takeaways from the past week, touching on both serious and less serious points. The offseason is officially underway.
When considering star players leaving their teams for free, the situation with Mitch Marner potentially departing Toronto is most comparable to John Tavares` exit from Long Island.
One might wonder how that worked out for the Islanders?
Back in 2018, Tavares was coming off a strong season (84 points, his second-highest tally) before becoming a highly sought-after free agent.
Kyle Dubas, then with the Leafs, managed to land the incredibly talented young winger, partly through a recruitment video that effectively pitched Toronto.
Now, Marner, who reportedly desires a similar level of attention from potential teams, is set to leave for free after his most productive season yet (102 points).
In fairness, one difference between the two scenarios is that the Maple Leafs made the playoffs this time, whereas the Islanders missed out in 2018.
What remains undeniably consistent in both situations, alongside any lingering negative feelings, is the plainly poor management of valuable player assets.
Duncan Priestley